Bannons Senate Minority - WSJ Editorial

Judge Roy Moore was always a time bomb for Senate Republicans, which is why most GOP leaders opposed him in the primary. But Alabama Republicans nominated him anyway, and now the state’s voters will have to assess allegations against Mr. Moore that are among the worst that can be leveled.

(snip)

The charges are disqualifying for public office if true, even if the statute of limitations has long expired. The charges may be unprovable at this remove. But they will certainly hang over Judge Moore’s campaign until the Dec. 12 special Senate election and afterwards if by some chance he wins.

(snip)

He’s backed by Breitbart, the website run by former White House aide Steve Bannon that supported Mr. Moore in the primary. The truth is that Mr. Bannon is a partial architect of this mess. He’ll support any Republican candidate who promises to vote against Mr. McConnell for Senate leader, and when that’s your only political standard you end up with oddballs and misfits as candidates. Judge Moore twice lost his Alabama Supreme Court seat because he refused to enforce court orders, so his potential for self-implosion wasn’t news.

(snip)

As for Mr. Bannon, we’re beginning to suspect that he wants Republicans to lose the Senate because it’s easier to rage in opposition. He may get his wish.